Flood Prevention Ideas Could Assist Protection

At a time when flood waters are threatening property and disrupting the economy across the Prairies, it seems odd to be on a bus tour showcasing projects that flood farmland on purpose. But officials in the Northern U.S. have concluded flooding relatively small areas of farmland is better than the alternative. “Before the (North Ottawa

Zebra Mussels Headed Toward Manitoba

They’re tiny, they’re destructive and they’re headed this way. Zebra mussels have been found in the upper U.S. watershed of the Red River and could arrive in Manitoba as early as this summer, Manitoba Water Stewardship warns. Their presence could produce an “ecological Armageddon” along the Red River and its connecting waterways, Candace Parks, a


Report Eyes Reducing River Flows

Aplan to reduce the flow on the Red River during flood stage is feasible but would come at a huge cost, a yet-to-be-released study says. Reducing peak flows by 20 per cent is doable but the price tag would be at last $1 billion, according to a model developed for the Red River Basin Commission.

Flood Threat Looms In Red River Basin

Asilent threat lurking in the snow-covered uplands of the Red River basin has officials warning residents to brace for a major flood this spring. High river flows, above-normal water content in the snowpack and an expected cool, wet spring will produce near-record flood conditions along the Red River, Manitoba Water Stewardship announced Monday. The province’s


World Teetering On Environmental Catastrophe, Conference Warned

Floods inundating parts of Australia. Blizzards shutting down the eastern United States. Mudslides killing hundreds of people in Brazil. All three events in the last few weeks have one thing in common. They’re a sign the earth is reacting after centuries of human abuse, an international flood control conference heard last week. “This is telling

Long-Term Flood Solutions Urgent For Red River

News of an expected major flood along the Red River this spring created an undercurrent of urgency at the Red River Basin Commission’s annual convention last week. A focus on flood control reflected the inescapable reality that the river is a perennial flood risk waiting to happen. The reason is simple. “We live in the


Why Do We Live Here?

Approximately 1.25 million people live in the Red River basin. But why? People from outside the region can find many reasons not to live here – from the harsh climate and frequency of natural disasters (tornadoes, floods, blizzards) to the flatness of the land and perceived lack of what is commonly considered beautiful scenery. But

Valley Residents Fed Up With Red River Flooding

Frustration about constant flooding from the Red River spilled over at an international commission forum on flood solutions for the Red River basin. Local residents voiced aggravation at the economic and emotional toll from spring floods which regularly inundate farmland and cut off communities. Many demanded compensation for the expense, damage and inconvenience caused by



Who minds the Red’s flow in drought years?

Recent rains here in the Red River Basin have had many of us worrying about getting crops off the fields, and certainly not about drought. But history in the basin promises us that drought, to some degree or another, will indeed be part of our experience here. Are we prepared for it? According to a